I always check what's in stock when I visit a city with a Zara. I've had better luck finding things in stores than on-line. I think the service from on-line shopping is much better than in stores however. I generally do not have high expectations for things from Zara therefore I am never too let down. Although it's true H&M is cheaper, I also don't find Zara pricey. I have two stunning jackets, a sweater, a dress and a bag from Zara that I love. I find their jeans and trousers to be the trickiest for me as they are cut for someone with a longer rise and much straighter figure than mine (I have only had one success with Zara trousers).

For me sizing is not an issue, I wear an M or sometimes an S; a 38 or sometimes a 36. I really do not find their sizing that inconsistent. It just took me a while to wrap my ahead around being a size M whereas I am usually a size S / 4, in some brands even an XS.

I think Irene's hit the nail on the head. The clothes are cut for very small people. I need an XL in Zara tops/jackets and a 44 pants which if you can find in store (not very often) just fits me. (I wear a 12-14 UK or 10 US)
5 years ago the quality was the best on the High St but the last few things I've bought didn't hold up and amidst claims of unethical practise using child labour from South America to make the clothes I am less and less inspired to shop here.

It depends on the trends, This season Zara it's all about chunky knits and big volume tops. They have trendy pieces and some don't work for us, but some do, it's just a matter of trying everything which is difficult if you don't have a store near

Greyscale, I think it may vary from city to city. The Mango boutique here is small, upscale looking, neat and "curated" by SAs. The Zara store is huge and a disaster zone.

Actually I think the most shocking shift is in Zara's menswear! DH used to fit into Zara's shirts and he looked so good in them. Of those shirts, he only has one striped one left which we save for dressier occasions. We can't replace any because they are all so slim-cut now he can't button up.

I guess equality in fashion is making men feel fat too.

I have not shopped in Zara much because there are none near me, but the few times I've shopped at one, I typically find one item that at least works for me for every 10 or so I try on. I have a pencil skirt, a bomber, a white denim moto vest, and a clutch from there. I find tops way easier than bottoms, but that's true of all stores for me.

Sizing is definitely wonky. I had concluded that I was always a L there but then they started cutting some oversize tops to be actually oversized!

Interesting, Peacechick - like Greyscale, I had always seen Mango as aimed at a younger demographic. And slightly lower quality. More like Zara's TRF line than Zara Woman.

I don't shop at Zara because I had heard that the quality is dicey.

I have a love-hate relationship with Zara.
I recently bought a pair of booties at Zara and was amazed at their comfort -- really, really amazed. For $100, I was extremely happy to get a fun pair of fun trendy booties that I will be happy to wear for a season or two.
But for clothing, I have a lot of trouble. I've tried several times to make the clothing work (most recently after seeing one of Rute's posts; Zara clearly "gets" her too). I still remember the first time I walked into a Zara in Chicago and swooned over their outerwear. The styles were amazing...but for me, it's just not to be. It just seems that no matter what I try on, I'm slim but not slim enough, or their take on a trend is just beyond my reach.
But here is the challenge for me. The Zara Website is like fashion porn. It's gorgeous, intimate, and seductive, and every blessed thing looks fabulous in a way that real life rarely lives up to. So even though I love to visit the site, I find that for me, Zara is best experienced in-store. Sizing, trend interpretations, and quality are too inconsistent, and the Website is too, too alluring.

The two Zaras near me have very different atmospheres, even. The one in the mall is crowded, chaotic, and full of cheaper clothes. The larger one a few blocks away has spacious display floors and aloof sales associates (who are actually quite helpful and give me great feedback on how things look).

I actually almost mentioned how slim their men's clothes are. My boyfriend is very very slim, and Zara is one of the few shops where he finds clothes that fit him the way he wants. I can easily imagine they wouldn't fit standard-size guys very well. But for us, it's great, because there really aren't many other places he can shop.

I love Zara even though Zara doesn't love me. LOL. As a petite woman, I have difficulty in finding clothes that fit me well since they do not have petite sizes and either too tight or too long. Some of their outfits online are great so I borrow specific looks from their site. Unfortunately, I can't wear their clothes.

Late entry to acknowledge the easy/fast return service from ZARA. I kept track and it took 10 days for return to be credited - not bad considering posted day before thanksgiving.

Just chiming back in here to add that when I return Zara's items in-store, that I have the credit back into my bank account within 24 hours. That just blows my mind - Nordstrom's usually takes almost a week.

It's true that some manufacturers/stores/brands fit a person better than others. Zara's pants tend to be a bit short on me when the waist fits and the jackets a bit broad in the shoulder. Things change too. AT and Express once provided me with excellent fits; sadly this is no longer the case.

I talked to local designer once and she said there were something like 38 standard patterns of body type and a designer will only do clothing using 3 at most.